The prosecution’s main star witness in the XXXTentacion murder trial took the stand today, where he revealed that he was not the mastermind behind the murder plot and that he only received $5000 from the $50,000 loot the two gunmen took from XXX after killing him.
Robert Allen has taken a plea deal to plead guilty to a second-degree murder charge as he testifies against his co-defendants, Michael Boatwright (28), the alleged shooter, Dedrick Williams (26), the driver of the car and mastermind behind the murder, and Trayvon Newsome (24), the other gunman.
The defendants are charged with first-degree murder with a firearm and armed robbery with a firearm in the murder of rapper XXXTentacion, whose real name is Jahseh Onfroy. The victim was killed during an armed robbery on June 18, 2018, in Florida while at Riva Motorsports.
In his examination-in-chief, Allen said the day before the rapper was killed, there was a plan for Diedrick’s “sister” to hire a car which was part of their plan to drive around and rob anyone they could.
Allen said he and Boatwright picked up the car (a Dodge Journey) after it was rented and were all armed with firearms and masks. Boatwright carried a GSK 22 caliber rifle, Newsome – Smith & Wesson Revolver, and Williams- a Taurus .38 revolver.
The state witness said it was Williams who initiated the discussion to go out and rob random people. “It doesn’t matter,” Allen recalled telling them in response while the other men said nothing.
Williams, also called Chucky, did not have a mask, and the group decided to go and buy a mask at Riva Motorsport. Allen recalled that when they arrived at the parking lot, Williams noticed the victim and identified him as XXXTentacion.
Williams also recognized the rapper’s BMW sportscar and pulled up the rapper’s Instagram post confirming that the car was posted by the rapper.
“They tell me to go inside to see if it’s him,” Allen says Boatwright and Williams instruct him.
Allen, however, said that there was no plan at the time as to whether they would rob the rapper or not when he was asked to confirm that it was indeed the rapper. Allen and Williams then go into Riva Motorsports, and Williams later tells him that the rapper had on jewelry and showed them XXXTentacion’s Instagram account.
Allen was also asked whether there was any other person who was behind their plan to rob the rapper, but the witness said ‘no.’
Allen said he tried to call Boatright to tell him that the rapper was there, but the call failed. They spent about 5-10 minutes in the store, and Williams purchased one black mask before returning to the car.
Allen says that he tells his co-defendants what he saw.
“I tell them I saw triple XXX and get quiet and Deidrick (Williams) asked what they gon do and I tell them uh nah I don’t think that’s a good idea because I’m on camera,” he said.
“I knew it was a great chance we would get caught,” Allen said when asked why he warned them.
Allen said Boatwright and Newsome didn’t want to rob the rapper, but Williams convinced them otherwise.
Williams asked if they were scared when Boatwright responded, “alright we’ll get him.” Allen says that the group then moved their cars across the street as they waited on the rapper.
“Chucky (Williams) came up with some type of theory that if he leaves out of the parking lot that if he came out of parking lot and moved in the next parking lot it would look like we left.”
The prosecutor pointed out that Riva’s cameras extended across the car. Allen said that Williams came up with the idea to use the Dodge SUV to “block off” the rapper so they can Boatwright and Newsome could come out and rob the rapper.
Ten minutes after waiting, XXXTentacion emerges from Riva, and they pounce on the rapper.
“They drive around and as they (XXX and his uncle) are coming out, Deidrick blocks him off. Michael Boatwright and Trayvon Newsome get out and rob him,” Allen said.
The men end up robbing the rapper- “he (Boatwright) has his rifle stuck in the car,” “(Newsome) he’s pulling on XXX’s necklace,” and “(Newsome) reaches inside to grab the bag, as he grabs the bag, shots are fired,” Allen says as he answers that Boatwright was the one who shot the rapper “two or three times.”
Allen says the robbery takes about three minutes, and the two men jump back in the car. The prosecution also played 28 minutes of surveillance footage from Riva, which was objected to by defense attorneys who questioned Allen on whether he had seen all of the footage.
The footage begins when XXXTentacion’s car drives into the parking lot and, within minutes, walks into the business place. A few minutes later, the Dodge Journey also pulls up.
Williams and Allen are seen walking into the store and passing XXX by a mere foot as they walk to the back of the store, and Williams goes to pay for the mask. Allen is seen trying to make a phone call which doesn’t seem to connect, while Williams pays for the mask while chatting with someone by the cashier.
As they exit the store, Williams looks around while Allen remains on the phone. The men are seen talking in the parking lot as they walk away, and five minutes later, their car is seen pulling out and going across the street.
In another five minutes, XXXTentacion and his step-uncle are seen exiting the store and heading to the parking lot, where they get in and drive off. The robbery and murder unfold within minutes as the black SUV cuts off the BMW forcing the rapper to stop.
As the rapper approaches the exit, two armed men jump pit of the car and are seen putting their hands in the driver’s side of the car while the passenger, Kerr, runs out and away from the vehicle.
Immediately, the shorter man runs over to the passenger side of the car, which is left open. The moment the taller man, said to be Boatwright, fires the rifle several times is also visible, and within seconds the men hop into the car and drive away.
After shooting XXXTentacion, Allen says, “Trayvon (Newsome) asked Michael Boatwright why he shoot him,” and Boatwright replies, “that he reached for the gun.”
Allen also shared that the men split up the loot, but he was only given $5,000 while the others divvy up the remainder at $15,000 each. He only got that amount because Williams determined that his role in the robbery was minimal.
“He actually said I wasn’t going to get anything at all…(Boatwright) said you gotta give him something, he was there,” Allen said, noting that it was Boatwright who gave him the cash.
After Allen completes his testimony and is being led out of the courtroom by deputies, he passes Boatwright, who is seen on a recording by Law & Crime calling Allen a “B*tch.”
